Railway crossing



E. S. ABBOTT. RAILWAY cnossmc.

. APPLICATION FVILED PCT-28'. 1921. Patented May 30, 1922' 2 SHEETS-SHEET I INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

EZEKIEL S. ABBOTT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RAILVJAY CROSSING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. May 30, 1922.

Application filed October 28, 1921. Serial No. 511,006.

T 0 all to hom it may concern Be it known that I, EZEKrnL S. Anso'r'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Tmprovement in Railway Crossings. and declare the following to be a full clear and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to railroad crossings and the object of the invention is to provide a railway crossing which presents a continuous track surface for each car passing thereover on either set of crossing rails. In the track crossing now commonly in use the rail ends are spaced apart to allow passage of the flanges 01" the car wheels, In this type of construction a jar is imparted to the car as each wheel passes over the crossing which causes considerable nois and consequent annoyance to the riders. Another tault of this type of crossing is that the car wheels in passing over the gaps in the track soon wear the ends of the rails away due to the continuous pounding of the wheels thereon and necessitate frequent replacements of the track crossings. Therefore, the principal object ofthis invention is to provide a filler block adapted to be moved upwardly into the space between the adjacent track ends to provide a smooth substantially continuous track in which no is imparted to the car wheels and in which the noise of the car wheels passing over the crossing is obviated. A further object of the invention is to provide a railway crossing of the character described in which the filler block are automatically moved to the correct position by the car wheels on approaching the crossing from either direction. The mechanism may also be connected so as to be operated from a signal tower in which case the positioning of the blocks will not be automatic but will be controlled by a lever at the signal tower. Another object of the invention is to provide a solid support for each filler block when raised to flush relationship with the adjacent rail ends it being necessary to solidly support the said blocks in order to support the weight of the cars passing thereover. These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained is shown in the accompanying drawings in which 1 is a plan view of a railway crossing embodying my invention, the covers for the block operating mechanisms being removed to show the construction.

Fig. 9. is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. y

Fig. 3 is'a plan view of the operating mechanism for one corner of the crossing.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4. of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the filler block in the lowermost position.

F 6 is a view of the trip lev-nr adapted to be moved by the car wheel flanges to actuate the filler blocks.

As shown in Fig. 1 the crossing consists oi? rails l. and 2 for cars traveling in one direction and rails 8 and 1- for cars traveling in another direction. The cars traveling on the rails 1 and 2 are to be understood as approaching the crossing from the bottom of Fig. 1 and the'cars traveling on the rails and. i are to be understood as approaching the crossing from the right of Fig. l. A space 5 is provided at the side of the track 1 forthe flanges of the car wheels and positioned at a distance, from the crossing is a trip lever 6 which is pivoted at '7 and c2;- tends into the space 5' at some distance from the crossing. A. rod 8 extends from the lever 6 and is pivotally connected to a rocker arm 9 shown in Fig. l which is also positioned at some distance from the crossing. Also pivotally connected to the rocker arm 9 is a rod 10 which in turnis pivotally connected to a star wheel 11' rotatably mounted at the center of the crossing. It can thus be seen that as a car approaches the crossing the wheel flange thereof engages the trip lever 6 and forces the same to the right of Fig; l which moves the rocker arm 9 which by means of the rod 10 turns the star wheel 11 through the arc of a circle in a. counter-clockwise direction. This moveally connected to a le'ver28 I ment of the star wheel is communicated to the different mechanisms for actuating the filler blocks in each corner of the crossing, the operation of the mechanism at the lower left-hand corner of Fig. 1 being shown more particularly in Fig. 3. In this view the filler block 12 is positioned to provide a continuous rail for a car approaching from the right of the figure. The filler block 12 is supported upon asupporting block 13 which in turn is mounted upon a heavy iron base plate 47 which supports the blocks andopcrating mechanisms therefor. An arm 14 is connected to the supporting block 13 and a lever 15 is pivotally connected to the outer end thereof. The opposite end of the lever 15 is pivotally mounted on a stationary pivot 16 on the plate 47 and a rod 17 extends from the lever 15 and is pivotally connected to a rock lever 18 which ispivoted, on a stationary pivot 19 on the base plate 47. As shown more particularly in Fig. 4 a lever 20 is pivoted to the rail 4 and at the opposite end is pivoted to the filler block 12, a pair of guides 21 being provided for the lever 20. A wedge block 22 extends through an aperture provided therefor in the rail 4 and is adapted to be movedbackward or forward to raise or lower the lever 20 on its stationary pivot on the rail 4. The wedge block 22 is provided with a guide rod 48 thereon extending through an aperture provided in the lever 20 which is adapted when the wedge block is retracted 'to draw the lever 20 downward, so that the lowering of the filler block 12 is positive and not dependent upon gravity for its operation. This guide rod 48 is positioned above and parallel with the angular face of the wedge block 22, so that the lever during movement of the block follows the angular face of the wedge block. As shown in Fig. 3', a rod 23 is pivotally connected to the wedgeblock 22 and is pivotally connected at the opposite end to the lever 15. A supporting block 24is provided for the filler block 25 and when the filler block 25 is in the lowermost position, shown in Fig. 4, the supporting block 24 is positioned in a casing 26 proviced therefor, the position of the block 24 in relation to the filler block 25 being shown in dotted lines in Fig, 3. The supporting block 24 is provided with an extending arm 27 pivot similar to the lever 15 which is pivoted on the base plate 47 at 29. A lever 30 similar to the lever 20 is pivotally connected to the block 25 and a wedge block 31, similar to the wedge block 22, is connected by a rod 32 to the lever 28. The lever 28 is connected to the rock lever 18- by a pivoted rod 33 and the rock lever 18 is connected to the arm 34 of the star wheel by a rod 35. When the star wheel 11 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction by means ofthe trip lever 6 the arm 34thereof,

by the movement of as shown in Fig. 3, is turned in the direction of the arrow which, by means of the rod 35, turns the cam 18 in a counter-clockwise direction and by means of the rod 17 forces the lever 15 toward the bottom of F 3. This movement of the lever 15 by means of the arm 14 forces the supporting block 13 toward the bottom of Fig. 3 into the casing 36 provided below the block 12 which is similar to the casing 26 as shown in F 4. At the same time the wedge block 22 is moved from beneath the lever 20 and the lever 20 is drawn downward by the guide 48, and thus the filler block 12 is moved to the position shown in'Fig. 5. The lever 28 is actuated simultaneously with the lever 15 by the rod 33 which, by the counter-clockwise movement of the rock lever 18 draws the lever 28 toward the right of Fig. 3. The rod 32 by this movement of the lever 28 draws the wedgeblock 31 toward the right of Fig. 3 thus raising the lever 30 which, due to its pivotally connection with the filler block 25, raises the said filler block, the said movement of the lever28 also drawing the supporting block by means of the arm 27 to the right of Fig. 3, to position beneath the filler block 25 thereby solidly supporting the said filler block on the base plate 47. The supporting blocks are each provided with a curved face 37, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the same may be drawn more easily beneath the filler blocks. By this construction, shown in Fig. 3, it can be seen that the operation of the two levers 15 and 28 is simulta neous and the filler block 12 is lowered to allow passage of the wheel flanges while the filler block 25 is raised to provide a smooth continuous track 1. There are eight filler blocks provided 12, 25, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, and 43. It can thus be seen that should a car approach from the bottom of Fig. 1 it is necessary through the several mechanisms to lower the blocks 12, 38, 41 and 42 to allow passage of the wheel flanges and at the same time the blocks 25, 39, 40 and 43 must be raised to provide a smooth continuous track surface for the car. This is accomplished the trip lever 6 and consequent movemen of the star wheel 11. It will be noted that the star wheel is connected to each of the four actuating mechanisms to produce the desired move mentof the filler blocks. The mechanism in each corner is substantially identical with that shown in Fig. 3 and each mechanism is provided with a cover 44, as shown in Fig. 2, having a way 45 therein through which the car wheel flanges are adapted to pass. In the position shown in Fig. 1 the trip lever 6*, similar to the lever 6, has been moved to the position shown in full lines by a car passing over the crossing from the right to the left of Fig. 1 and the blocks 12, 38, 41 and 42 have been raised by of the rocker arm and connecting rods, is

the movement of the lever 6 from the dotted position to the position shown in full lines in Fig. l. The blocks 25, 39, 410 and as have been lowered by the same means so that car may pass over the rails 3 and 4-7. The trip lever 6 is connected to a rocker arm 9" by a rod. 8 and the rocker arm 9* is in turn connected by a rod 10 to the star wheel 11. ll hen the trip lever 6 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the trip lever 6, by means moved out of the path of the wheel flange and when the lever 6 is moved to the right of Fig. 1 by a car wheel flange the member 11 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction and by means of the rocker arm 9 the rods 8 and 10, the lever 6 is moved into the path of the wheel flanges of a car approaching on the rails 3 and t. As will be seen in Fig. 6 the trip levers are each formed with a curved face as so that the wheel flange when striking the same engages the curved face slowly and as the wheel passes from the end of the curve 46 the trip lever is thrown over quickly. This form is partic ularly desirable in that the lever is moved smoothly and quickly without undue strain to either the trip levers or car wheel flanges, and is so shaped that it can be operated by a car traveling at a good rate of speed. It is to be noted that this construction may be easily applied to the usual or modern railway crossing, will not weaken the construction of the crossing and, as the operating mechanism and movable parts are enclosed. there is little likelihood of sand, gravel, etc, getting into the mechanism to interfere with the operation thereof. If desired the different operating rods connecting the star wheel may be each provided with a turn buckle to allow a fine adjustment of the parts to produce the most efiicient operation. hen the device is applied to railroad crossings the same may be operated from a signal tower by connecting a control to the star wheel 11 which extends to and is connected with a lever in the signal tower. This type of control device is intended to be used where the trains passing over the crossing travel at a great speed which might damage the mechanism by too sudden an operation thereof. It will be further noted that no springs, cogs, nor chains are used in the construction which would be liable to get out of order and thus a strong, efficient mechanism is provided for accomplishing the desired movement of the filler blocks.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the device is very simple and eflicient in operation, will not easily get out of order, is of low manufacturing cost and provides a device which accomplishes the objects desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United. States is l. The combination with a railway crossing having spaces between the rails at the corners of the crossing to allow clearance for the car wheel flanges, of a series of filler blocks adapted to ride in the spaces of the rails which extend in ne direction and when in the raised position forming a continuous track, a second series of filler blocks adapted to ride in. the spaces of the rails extending in the opposite direction and when in the raised position also forming a continuous track, a lever secured to each filler block and pivoted to the adjacent rail, a wedge block adapted to be moved beneath each lever to raise the corresponding filler block, a supporting block for each filler block adapted to be automatically moved to position beneath the filler block by the mechanism for moving the wedge blocks, and a trip mechanism for each pair of rails adapted to be operated by the car wheel flanges when approaching from either direction, the construction being such that operation of either trip mechanism raises the filler blocks to provide a continuous track for the approaching car and lowers the filler block of the track extending in the opposite direction to allow clearance for the car wheel flanges 2. The combination with a railway crossing having spaces between the ends of the rails at the corners of the crossing to allow clearance for the car wheel flanges, of a series ol filler blocks adapted to ride in the said Spaces and when in the raised position forming a continuous track, a lever secured to each filler block and pivoted to the adjacent rail, a wedge block adapted to be moved beneath each lever to raise the corresponding filler block, a supporting block for each filler block adapted to be automatically moved to position beneath the liller block by the mechanism for moving the wedge block beneath the said lever, and a trip mechanism operated by the car wheel flange for controlling the wedge blocks to raise the filler blocks for the rails extending in one direction and lower the filler blocks for the rails extending in the opposite direction.

3. The combination with a railway crossing and the spacings between the ends of the rails at the corners of the crossing, of a series of filler blocks adapted to ride in the said spacings, a lever secured to each filler block and pivoted to the adjacent rail, a wedge block adapted to be moved beneath each lever to raise the corresponding filler block, a supporting block adapted to be antomatically moved beneath each filler block when in the raised position, and automatic means tor operating the wedge blocks to raise the filler blocks for one pair of rails and lower the filler blocks for the other pair of rails,

4 I 1,417,9ee

4. In a railway crossing, a series of filler a series of supporting blocks adapted to he blocks in the gap between the rail ends at moved beneath the filler blocks when in the the corners of the crossing, a series of levers raised position, and automatic means for 10 each pivoted to the adjacent rail and supraising the said filler blocks.

5 porting the series of filler blocks, a series In testimony whereof, I sign this specifiof wedge blocks adapted to he moved becation. neath the levers to raise the filler b10cks,'and EZEKIEL S. ABBOTT 

